The Life After
by Luna Moonsurf
Summary: Because everyone deserves a happy ending, and it's only when those happy endings collide that the real fun is ready to begin.
1. Meet and Greet

**Copy-and-Paste Disclaimer:** I do not own Tales of Symphonia. This disclaimer applies every chapter from here on. I do however own the concept of 'all matters of luck and fate'—more information on that can be found on my profile. The concept of 'brofriends'—which is also explained on my profile—belongs to TheRecorder but I have been granted the rights to use it as I will; also, unless otherwise stated or obvious, the relationship of Lloyd and Zelos should be viewed as that of brofriends.

Okay, this is an (extremely character-driven) AU fic where the game doesn't make you want to bawl and cry your eyes out as your heart shatters into tiny pieces.

Plus, we never saw everyone's final resting places or how their bodies disappeared…and people in this game have a habit of not being as dead as one is made to believe.

**This is important**, while most relevant notes will be at the bottom—however, most deviations from the main plot will not be mentioned as they frequently appear in other stories I've seen (like Ratatosk and Emil having separate bodies and Richter not sealed away in Ginnungagap)—notes absolutely vital for the understanding of what's going on will be presented at the top with their first one or few words bolded like the note below.

**Decus and Alice** also made it outta there alive because, let's face it, like they'd go down that easily.

* * *

><p>Emil needed a few more moments to collect his jaw from where it had fallen on the Palmacosta Plaza stonework; so it was Marta who expressed their combined shock.<p>

"How in the name of all matters of luck and fate did _you_ get let into the _police_?"

"Not let in, Martmart, invited."

"And it's not just any job," Decus amended as he leaned against his broadsword, "we're more what you called…mercenaries." Decus turned his gaze from the two to direct his smirk at one of their three other companions standing behind them, who scowled in return, then turned his focus back to Emil and Marta before continuing, "We're hired to travel around and clean up the crime issue plaguing our dear land."

"And you're saying you're not just using this as an excuse to do something **weird** together?"

"Goodness no, Martmart! Why would I do that when there are plenty of highwaymen out there for us to…" she began to tap her riding crop against her palm, "_punish_ together?"

"You forget, Marta," Richter began, "they're both complete sadists, Decus's bloodlust just wasn't always as apparent."

"Still…I can't believe they'd let people like those two run rampant."

Decus smirked, "Don't you worry, Emil," Emil scowled at the condescending tone Decus used upon saying his name, "we're allowed to do almost anything we want, but only if we keep it to those outside the law. As long as you're a good little boy and not do anything bad, we sadly don't have an excuse exercise our sadism upon your pretty little head. A real pity, there are _so_ many things we were hoping to try out on yo-"

Decus cut himself off as the sword of the person at whom he'd earlier directed a smirk—a smirk that had been very similar to the one he currently wore—was now aimed towards his face, out of striking distance but the intention had been to get Decus's attention rather than to attack. "That is quite enough." To be honest, Decus was surprised they actually let him get that far, he'd expected them to cut him off before he even reached the end of the word 'exercise', "There are children and Emil present and I request you do not corrupt their minds."

"What do I have to do wit-?"

"Don't concern yourself with it, Emil." Richter interrupted.

"Oh, okay."

"Hey! I'm fourteen! I'm not a child!" Genis said indignantly.

The swordsman was silent for a moment, "Very well, Emil is present and I will not have you corrupting his mind."

"Richter, are you sure it doesn't-"

Decus snickered, smirk widening, "My apologies, your old-man-ness."

The swordsman briefly glared—one had to grudgingly admire that Decus did not flinch, especially if he was as informed as he seemed to be—before sheathing his sword.

"Eww, I just realized something," Genis began with a disgusted face, "You gotta be like eight years older than her."

Alice scowled, "It's six, you twerp, and do you _really_ want to get into age differences? Because nearly every one of you lost that battle long before it began. And I do mean _long_."

"That's not true," Marta began, "it's only four years between Emil and R-"

Richter covered her mouth before she could finish and before Emil could question this, Genis had already started his own counter to Alice's statement.

"Yeah, there's only a five year difference between Ll-"

Genis abruptly stopped upon feeling a glare on the back of his neck from a certain swordsman—apparently the man wasn't about to make the same mistake twice and let too much be said. The act, however, was in vain.

Decus's eyes widened with malicious delight and Alice giggled, "My, my, that's certainly _quite_ the love affair. I was under the impression was the other one."

"The other what?" Emil inquired.

"Before you go into any detail pertaining to that," the swordsman said, seeing Decus preparing to make another snide remark, "are you acquainted with something called Judgment? I heard it's quite the favorite."

"Favorite of whom?" Emil asked but was ignored.

Decus scowled, "Don't remind me, your old-man-ness, him and his pretty little fire-wing-flaring gave me friggin' hell. Though," he turned a sly smirk upon him, "I suppose I could give him a little credit, it's not as though his wings has some color like blue or, luck forbid, _purple_ or some weird combination like that in them or anything."

"What is everyone talking about? Wings with different colors? Like blue and purple, or like rainbow-colored?"

"We're leaving." The swordsman said curtly, cutting Emil off, moving past the two as the rest followed him.

Alice giggled, "Oh dear me, did we hit a nerve? So sensitive about their colors that you're willing to move even faster to your doom? I don't think someone will be very pleased their father was dragged down from the heavens and didn't feel the need to inform him that he wasn't actually dead."

"Keep walking." Richter told the man, not even needing to look to know he was on the edge of being baited.

"I wonder how they found that all out." Genis thought aloud.

"Maybe it was Zelos," Marta suggested, "he's kinda a creep and enough of a douche."

"Marta, you really shouldn't say stuff like that."

"Oh, don't lie, Emil, you agree with me."

"Still…"

"But doesn't Zelos _hate_ Alice?"

"True…"

"I'd say Ratatosk was capable of doing it, but no, that doesn't seem quite right."

"Considering he displayed quite the dislike for Ratatosk, if he were still here, I wouldn't put it pass-"

"Hey! Don't be mean!" Genis interrupted the swordsman.

Before he could reply they reached their destination, the area in front of the old Vanguard Headquarters.

Well, actually, it wasn't exactly their destination, just where their objective was.

"Da-_Kratos_?"

* * *

><p><span>Notes<span>:

My characterization of Emil is that he is aware of many things negative in nature such as the word 'douche'—after all, Emil _did_ fight in many battles and called Lloyd a bastard at one point—however, he is innocent and naïve to pretty much everything _sexual_ in nature; this is a trait that is easily picked up on. He really is a simple Luin boy at heart.

I know it's mean of me, but this is really only a taste of what's to come. That is, I won't be able to get these chapters up anytime terribly soon as there are more post-ready things waiting in the wings, but I'd thought everyone would like to know it's there. So, if you have some patience, for the first time ever, I whole-heartedly encourage you to alert and especially review.


	2. Reintroductions

**Okay**, I've explained this before but for those unfamiliar with my stories, a 'brofriend' is a bro and a bud. It usually means two guys who are really close and are so secure in their sexuality that they can act gay with each other in jest and not be in the least uncomfortable with it. Like the male equivalent of a 'galfriend'…kinda, you'll see.

Also, this is not the same 'verse as the 'Wonder twins' and Worry, despite the use of 'brofriends'. I also characterize everyone a little differently as well between stories as well (ex. Wonder Marta is not the same as The Life After Marta, etc.).

* * *

><p>It was the voice of one very much pissed off. Emil, Marta, Genis, and even Richter—though with a little more dignity—all made haste to abandon Kratos in favor of standing where it was safe next to Ratatosk, Raine, and Zelos, who all knew Lloyd would have gone through with the 'Dad' part if he hadn't wanted to draw his blades and attack.<p>

Which was exactly what he did.

"I can't believe you! I thought you were dead!"

"Now, really, Lloyd," Kratos said as he blocked a Demon Fang and dodged a Beast, "you can't exactly blame me for-"

"Then blame your fate!"

"Nice one, bud!" Zelos called out, though shrunk back slightly at Kratos's frostbiting glare.

They were suddenly pulled apart by Fenrir and Sphinx each grabbing one of them by the back of the shirt.

"Okay, break it up, you two." Ratatosk sounded rather bored, having probably only separated them upon Marta's request, "Sheathe your swords, children."

When neither of them did so, but instead only glared at him, Ratatosk gestured for his monsters to violently shake the two side to side for a few moments before giving them another chance to comply.

This had to be done several times.

Once he judged Lloyd to have settled down, Ratatosk had Sphinx and Fenrir shake them one more time before unceremoniously dropping them, earning him a glare from Lloyd. Kratos, however, was focused on someone else entirely.

Drawing his sword once more despite having put it away only moments before, he approached Zelos radiating an extremely disconcerting air, "Now, Wilder, in regards to my son…"

Zelos's eyes widened, "I don't know what anyone told you, but I swear to Fate we're only brofriends!" He was acutely aware that he was on his way into backing into the wall of a building, "I mean, surely there are other ways to-"

"You're right; I could make you a eunuch."

Zelos turned ghost-white, "Other than that?" he practically squeaked.

The other males had lost a shade or two of color as well; all except Emil who asked, "What's a eunuch?"

And before anyone could stop her—but truly, the boy probably needs to know this—Raine answered, "A castrated male who-"

"Okay, I get it." Emil _did_ squeak—'castrated' was a word he knew, it's meaning had been given to him after a battle where he just barely dodged an enemy's sword swing that could have been very unfortunate indeed.

"Alright, before we start severing…stuff; let's get back to _why_ I didn't know you were alive earlier!"

Kratos seemed to seriously consider whether or not to carry out his threat before speaking with Lloyd. After a moment that seemed like interminable _lifetimes_ to Zelos, Kratos finally sheathed his sword, "I suppose since there are ladies present-"

Zelos sped over and threw his arms around Lloyd, nearly tackling him to the ground, "Oh thank you, bud! You saved my bal-err, butt, you saved my butt!"

"I never said I wouldn't let him do it."

Still hanging off of him, arms around Lloyd's neck, Zelos looked up at him with puppy-dog eyes, "But-but, I thought we were brofriends! You know, like Genis and Mithos."

Kratos actually looked physically shocked to the untrained eye, "Mithos?"

The door to the Vanguard building opened, "I heard someone say my name in a voice of pleading; you know I don't do that kind of stuff anymore, so what's the deal?"

Kratos was struck speechless, well, almost, "I'm going to kill Yuan."

"Kratos? You've met with Yuan? He's not slackin' off, is he? Like makin' out with my sister and doin-"

Richter cleared his throat pointedly, drawing Mithos's attention to Emil, who was standing beside Richter.

"Oh, right; sorry."

"How in the hell does he say that with a straight face?" Zelos wondered aloud, no longer hanging off of Lloyd but still draped across his brofriend's shoulders from behind, "Must be a little brother thing, I could _never_ think about my sister making out with a guy and doin-"

Richter cleared his throat pointedly, drawing Zelos's attention to Emil, who was standing beside Richter.

"Oh, right; sorry."

"Mithos, why are you of all people here?" Kratos asked incredulously, having—after many valiant attempts to place the minute fragments of his composure back together—finally given up on his usual deadpan.

"Oh, well, I was helping everyone look for documents detailing assassination plans for Marta." Mithos grew somewhat excited, "With luck, we can find something to get them lift the punishments on our friends for creating the Vanguard!"

"Your…friends?"

"And I'm sure we can find _something_ for Richter; if we can't, we can just fake something. Hey, I know!" Mithos seemed on the edge of bouncing up and down—it was hard enough for Zelos to look directly at Emil for any length of time, now he had this display of purity and goodwill blinding him and attempting to violently ravage his periphery vision—he needed some pity right about now, not that he was going to get any, "Kratos, you're great at making things up! Why don't you help? You did think up the entire mythology of the Church of Martel after all."

"Damnit, brat! You cheated! You used insider information, the bet's invalid! _Invalid_!"

"Just give Genis the money, Zelos."

Zelos muttered darkly under his breath as he dug through his right pocket, left arm still slung around Lloyd's shoulder, then placed a very good deal of Gald in Genis's hand before putting his arm back around Lloyd's shoulder and resumed resting his head next to Lloyd's own to watch the events unfold, making sure to do so on the shoulder the farthest away from Mithos and his radiating beams of innocence that were casting their purifying light upon his corrupt soul.

Marta blinked, "You basically bet on Kratos's skills of creativity?"

"Of course," Genis said, "Lloyd isn't the sharpest sword in the sheath-"

"I haven't heard that one used before."

"-so most of our thought processes, Zelos's especially, went to that—though his dad is obviously more intelligent—Lloyd is still Kratos's son thus Kratos probably didn't have the imagination to create an _entire_ belief system. Err, no offense, Kratos."

"None taken." The swordsman said hesitantly, still trying to process all this.

"I should have been more suspicious when the brat went for all or nothing." Zelos grumbled.

* * *

><p>I love messing with Kratos's father complex.<p>

And yes, I know I said I wouldn't post more of this yet, but that was before I realized how nice everyone is here at the Tales of Symphonia fandom! I'm running out of ToS stuff to post for y'all so this will have to do. You guys make me feel so happy when I see your reviews, since I'd never gotten many before. I love you all! (Plus, I figured I should probably introduce the other main character before I leave y'all hangin'.)

Notes:

That whole discrimination thing settled down in this AU to roundabouts what it is in Real Life—as in there will always be those kind of extremists; but the overall population's all cool considering those who have not lived as long in the world as to have become truly steadfast in their beliefs are starting to come of the age to affect global opinion, ya get what I'm sayin'?


	3. The Issue At Hand

Hey everyone, I'm back with more The Life After!

* * *

><p>"Stop getting off topic! Da-Kratos!"<p>

Great, Lloyd was still angry with him, "Yes, Lloyd?"

"Why didn't I know you were alive? No one interrupt him!" Lloyd added sharply as a precaution.

"I am not entirely sure myself, one moment I was on Derris-Kharlan, the next I felt a rather uncomfortable and familiar pulling sensation before blacking out." Richter's and Ratatosk's attention seemed caught by this, but it passed too quickly for others to note. "When I next came to, Martel was looming over me with that grin of hers and Yuan was in the background trying not to look concerned; I likely caused quite the break in the space-time continuum."

"Yuan is always easier to read once you know him for a while." Mithos began before smiling playfully, "But I don't think the fabric of time and space was his primary worry when his best friend-"

"Who we all thought was _dead_," Lloyd interjected.

"-was lying on the ground undoubtedly in a state of comatose." Mithos finished as if never interrupted.

"Ya know, I'd forgotten the old man was mortal enough to actually be knocked unconscious. He was always so high and mighty with his 'holier than thou' attitude."

"But isn't that last part kinda true?" Genis pointed out.

"That, my tiny friend, is up to debate. Especially depending on your definition of 'holy'; you see, we were both angels, but _I_ was the 'Chosen'."

"He was one of the Seraphim!"

"Only by default."

"He _created_ the Church of Martel!"

"Yet he wasn't smart enough to not to wear that bondage gear outfit."

"He told us himself on our way back from Heimdall, it was the uniform for his former position; you know, the protector of the_ Tethe'allan royal family_."

"Richter, does the protector of the royal family really have an outfit of 'servitude'? I would think it would be a privileged position. Or does he mean it literally, like a shirt of ropes and pants of chains or something? Oh! Chain mail! Is it chain mail?"

"…Many things change in four thousand years, Emil, I could not say for certain."

"Oh, okay."

"Ha! I was all but _part of_ the Tethe'allan royal family, brat. And he still _wore _the thing; at least I have _some_ fashion sense."

"You have detached sleeves!"

"They're _opera gloves_. _He_ had the detached sleeves!"

"Really?"

"Yeah, you just couldn't see them as well under that pretty purple cape of his."

"_You_ wear _pink_."

"Yeah, but I pulled it off."

"You look like a _girl_."

"So? Chicks dig effeminate guys—girls give me all sorts of stuff just because I talk to them."

"Richter, what does 'effeminate' mean?"

"It is a polite way of saying that someone 'looks like a girl'."

"Okay, thanks!"

"Girls give you stuff because you were the Chosen. Not because of any good quality of your own."

"Tch, you may have been too busy in the background with your little toy, but I _destroyed_ any enemy that dare come in my way. The old man has nothing on my graceful footwork."

"His range was longer."

"By nanometers! Plus, he always went into his combos too fast and never hit his target as many times as he could, _I_ always perform mine perfectly. He has no finesse."

"His hits did more damage."

"Not by much."

"By enough."

"Hardly. Why are you defending him anyway?"

"I'm not, I'm merely contradicting you."

"Whatever, the old man was, _is_, an angst bucket who blames himself for things beyond his control."

"So were you."

"Well, I got over it, brat." Zelos said with the slightest edge of irritation that showed Genis had finally landed a scratch in the verbal battle; Zelos's expression relaxed into a faintly self-pleased smile before continuing, "Which brings to the main reason my bud here," Zelos wrapped his arms closer around Lloyd to give his brofriend a quick squeeze around the shoulders that made Kratos's eye twitch, "is so very, very pissed as all hell at the old man." He ended with a smirk at Kratos that only the other swordsman could get a proper view of.

It was a smirk that taunted Kratos with the fact Zelos was hanging _all_ over his son and he couldn't do anything about it because he was currently being grilled like slices of fried to-ma-_toes_.

Kratos suppressed a scowl at the smirk for having put emphasis on the word 'tomatoes'.

Lloyd elaborated on Zelos's words, "When you left, Kratos, I thought you were doing it for the good of everyone."

Kratos now suppressed a wince; Lloyd wasn't even close to slipping up and calling him 'Dad'.

"You weren't."

And there it was. That glare Lloyd inherited from him that combined with Zelos's glittering eyes to confirm even more so that Kratos had been found out.

"You were running away. You didn't want anything to change—it's been the same for you for all those years and now that everything's different, _you_ can't handle it."

"I didn't deserve to leave in a peaceful world delivered from the evil and strife I brought upon it." Kratos countered, though it was relatively apparent that Lloyd had struck a direct blow with his accusation.

"Bullshit! You didn't want the responsibility of maintaining that peace, thinking you can only cause destruction."

Critical hit. Blame your fate, old man, blame your fate. You're the one who chose it after all.

Kratos's hatred for Zelos's smirk was increasing at a constant and exponential rate.

"The Exspheres had to be released into space."

"You know that's a weak excuse or you would have used it to begin with. We know there's a way to do it automatically; we've seen the layouts and blueprints of the place."

"How could you have done that? Those sorts of documents are not easy to obtain."

"Professor Sage took one look at that library and put our quest on hold to transport them all back down to be located to every library that had room for any of them, not that there were any places that could. We found the blueprints when sorting through to decide which ones we were going to send to the Tethe'allan Branch and which ones we were going to send to the Sylvaranti Branch."

Kratos had seen the Library of Welgaia and could not believe it was humanly, elvenly, or angelically possible to move that many books _ever_ and especially in the amount of time they must have done so.

But wait a moment, "Tethe'allan and Sylvaranti Branches?"

"Oh, I suppose you wouldn't know," Mithos said, "the two locations where the Renegades were once based were remade into libraries to hold the books. It was my sister's idea."

"It _would_ be Martel's idea." Kratos muttered under his breath before sighing, "By and by, I concede defeat."

Unbeknownst to the rest of the group, Richter had drifted over to Raine, and Ratatosk had went over as well out of curiosity before ending up joining their whispered conversation that started to edge closer to an argument once Ratatosk had begun to take part in it.

Kratos continued, focusing on balancing his concentration between speaking and resisting the urge to give Zelos a good smack for the delighted smirk that had already started blooming on his face before Kratos had even made it past the first 'by' and was in full-force before he could finish the 'con' in 'concede', "I was wrong to leave, I am truly sorry. Please forgive me."

3, 2, 1…

"I do not suppose I could examine the Derris Emblem? I have a strong suspicion of its connection to my return."

"Fate fuckin' damnit!" Ratatosk exclaimed before continuing to swear profusely.

A smile appeared on Richter's face, "That is what you get for following Genis's example without knowing the outcome ahead of time."

"Yeah, well screw you, bastard." Ratatosk said glaring as he put his entire bag of Gald in Richter's hand.

Raine sighed and rolled her eyes as she placed the Derris Emblem in the hand that was not occupied by the whole of Ratatosk's fortune, "I'm sorry Kratos, but Richter gets to look at it first."

Zelos lifted his head from Lloyd's shoulder to look at her, "You bet the Derris Emblem?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I merely said if he was correct that he could look at it before anyone else."

"What exactly did you bet on anyways?"

"Whether or not Kratos would immediately inquire after the Derris Emblem after apologizing; I believe it was under the assumption that it would not be entirely sincere but rather was an attempt to gain access to the Emblem more quickly. Richter most likely thought this because he wouldn't put it past himself to do so to get a chance to inspect it in greater detail, no doubt due to his scientific curiosity."

Zelos winced slightly, "Oh yeah, that thing." He sighed before resting his head back on Lloyd's shoulder, "Well, at least he's not as bad as you."

* * *

><p><span>Notes<span>:

That conversation/argument between Zelos and Genis is pretty much based completely in canon, thus the references to range, attack power, and speed. Check the Tales wiki if you don't believe me. There's also references to other various aspects of the games throughout (especially in this chapter like how it's always a critical hit if you're attacked when 'Z-button/free-running' in the second game), so keep an eye out. Yeah, I always over-research when I write my stories.


	4. Arrival Explanations

I really have no excuse for my lateness, I'm terribly sorry.

* * *

><p>Once Richter had returned to the dumbfounded Emil's side, he handed him the bag of Gald, "Can you hang on to this? I'll give you the remainder after I'm done buying new equipment, hopefully there will be more than enough to spare."<p>

"I think, maybe, it's just a suggestion, but perhaps you should just buy a bigger laboratory instead getting more stuff for it. I'm sure we can find something somewhere."

Richter looked reluctant, "That would be rather expensive; depending on the location, I might not have enough even with Ratatosk's contribution."

Ratatosk scoffed from his position next to Marta that he'd also returned to, apparently having heard Richter's phrasing.

"That's okay! If you don't have enough, I'll give you some of my money."

Zelos swore under his breath; Mithos had dimmed his purity and goodwill to their normal levels so Zelos's guard was down when Emil turned on his high-beams and his light of innocence hit Zelos full-force.

"Don't worry," Lloyd quietly assured him, "I don't know how Richter doesn't even have at least _first_-degree burns either. Perhaps he built up a resistance."

"Immunity, a probable theory I suppose; though Richter _is_ one of those guys that can pull off one hell of a deadpan, maybe he is affected but doesn't let it show."

"Hmm, maybe; your guess is as good as mine."

Denied his chance at taking a look at the Derris Emblem—Richter, having just now started his examination of it, didn't look like he going to be finished anytime soon—Kratos instead chose to address another issue.

"Lloyd, I have an important question for you."

"Yeah, what is it, Dad?"

Kratos's posture seemed to relax slightly before asking, "Why do you let him do that?"

"Let who do what?"

"Zelos, why do you let Zelos do that?"

Ratatosk scowled, now regretting bothering to pay attention in an attempt to keep his mind off how hollow his pockets felt, "You're not making much sense, _brat_." He said, getting a scowl in return for the name.

"Yeah", Lloyd agreed, "Could you be little more specific?"

"Why do you let Zelos hang all over you?"

Lloyd blinked at him, "Because we're brofriends." He said as if that were completely obvious.

"Brofriends…?" Kratos echoed incredulously.

"Seriously, brat, what kind of question was that? They've always done that."

"Yeah, ever since we met they've done that." Marta amended.

"He latched onto Lloyd within the first three minutes of our initial…meeting of Regal," Raine informed, "and that was starting from under Regal's foot."

Mithos laughed at Kratos's complete loss for words, "It wasn't to the extent it is now, but when I first saw the two together in the same room, Zelos already was randomly hugging Lloyd. Well, more so than everyone else."

Kratos's coherency decided to take pity on him and return from the vacation it was taking touring around Palmacosta, "You randomly hugged people?"

"Just the people in our merry group of travelers. What? You jealous you weren't there for it? Sorry, but I have an age limit on the people I hug."

"Good. I don't want your damn hugs." Ratatosk said from off to the side.

"You hugged Martel when we met her at the World Tree." Marta pointed out.

"_She_ hugged _me_. She was the one to initiate it so it doesn't count."

"He's got a point." Emil began, "Especially since he was in such a state of shock, she'd already moved onto-"

"glomping," Lloyd inserted.

"-everyone else before he could hug back."

"She must have thought you were all so adorable that she could just use you as teddy bears."

"Wow Kratos, that was practically verbatim. How did you know that?"

"Experience."

"She does leave quite the impression, doesn't she?"

"One that lasts for thousands of years."

"Ah." Though it was soft, Emil still heard it.

"What is it, Richter?"

"You said all of your companions but Marta were affected by this Derris-Emblem?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I had a feeling." He murmured, closing his fingers around the Emblem before straightening from his position absorbed in his observation of the Emblem, then addressing everyone, "I have a good idea how Aurion was transported away from Derris-Kharlan and his self-imposed demise."

He tossed the Derris Emblem to Kratos who caught it, turning it over in his hands before looking back up, "Oh? And what would that be?"

"Hey, Ratatosk," Marta whispered, "Why do you think Richter sounded so sardonic about what Kratos had planned on doing when he did the same thing?"

Ratatosk closed his eyes in thought, "No doubt because that idiot sees his own foolishness and his selfish intentions reflected in the brat and hates it—doubtlessly because how much it hurt Emil. The brat probably understands that thus did not call Abend on the taunt. I believe the correct term is 'angst bucket'."

If Richter heard this he did not show it as he answered Kratos's question, "It is actually quite simpler than one would think. Emil and Marta were unaffected by it obviously because of their connection to Ratatosk would protect them from a trap set by Ratatosk himself, but the others were ensnared because the Derris Emblem is set to affect only the target—in this case, the owner—and any of his or her companions on a trigger point. Presumably this is if the trap setter is actually present in the group and could be attacked by an ally of the target if only the target is caught."

Richter gave Kratos a penetrative look and Ratatosk's eyebrows rose slightly, apparently catching on, though he remained silent as Richter continued.

"The Derris Emblem is heavily influenced by the owner's own mentality, while the trap setter is immune no matter what, who is ensnared is defined by the target and who the target considers a 'companion'." Richter narrowed his eyes slightly at Kratos. "The Emblem affects all companions on a trigger point—ANY trigger point. Do understand what I am saying, Aurion?"

"Companion?" Kratos echoed faintly, struck dumbfounded as, indeed, understanding had begun to dawn on him. Zelos was oddly silent.

Richter closed his eyes and pushed up his glasses, "Yes," he stated, finally getting his point across and let the full impact of his words sink in—or, perhaps, pausing to think a thought of his own—before he opened his eyes to direct an intent and piercing look at Kratos that was all at once Yuan, Raine, and a little of Kratos himself, "A companion, an ally, a friend, a being one trusts not to betray one at one's moment of need—one may very well be willing to die for a companion with the belief he or she would do one the same service; a companion is loved and cared despite faults and past sins. That is who the Derris Emblem takes."

Zelos stiffened then relaxed, giving Lloyd's shoulders a gentle squeeze, "Thanks, bud." He said softly.

Lloyd smiled and placed a hand on one of Zelos's own before addressing the rest of those present, "Then why didn't he show up with the rest of us?"

* * *

><p>I really am unable to write anything without there being some form of angstdrama/whatever at some point or another.

Notes:

To put what Richter said simply, Kratos was, at the very last moment, summoned away from Derris-Kharlan by the Derris Emblem yoinking ALL of Lloyd's companions as Kratos happened to be crossing over one of the trigger points of the Emblem, though it had taken some time to transport him all the way back so he missed the Final Battle.

I also forgot to mention earlier, but the other spirits within the Guardian of the World Tree Yggdrasill decided it would be more fun to let Martel take the reins as she seemed to know what's she's doing and most of them don't know the first thing about this kind of gardening. Plus, most of them are just happy to see a happy ending like that of Yuan and Martel after all that death, doom, and destruction that came before now.


	5. Ancient Inscriptions

"You must understand," Richter sent a brief barbed look at Kratos, "at the time, Derris-Kharlan was very, very far away. I believe you deactivated the trap before Aurion had fully passed through our atmosphere—as he would have to have been within range of the Otherworldly Gate to enter Ginnungagap—however he probably had entered the atmosphere enough that Martel and Yuan must have sensed him and brought him the rest of the way down using their powers. Of course that is entirely hypothetical."

"Dear me, he must have been very far away indeed." Raine commented.

"Yes, I approximate that if the trap had been set off even the slightest bit of time after it did, the distance would have been too great." A half-smirk lit Richter's face, "In fact, Lloyd, I believe you have Ratatosk to thank for the saving of your father's life."

"Oh hell no! You are not placing all the blame on me! I'm not the only one at fault here! It was the half-pint's Emblem and Lloyd's 'companionship' whatever thing with the brat. And, fatedamnit, _you_ were the reason we were there in first place!"

"How did you figure out all of that from just looking at the Derris Emblem?" Raine asked.

Richter looked somewhat embarrassed, "Well, I, during my research I…"

"Richter's really shy about just how epic a scholar he is."

"Emil!" Richter's cheeks were definitely red.

"I mean, normally he's fine and all, but it's usually when it leaks out just _how_ many languages he can read that he gets like this. He won't admit it, but he totally was the one who discovered that tablet-thing that's used to decode ancient writings on ruins all over the world."

Raine latched onto the last part, "The Richter Scale?"

Emil smiled brightly, "Yeah, that one."

"Sis, before you-" Genis began before Raine cut him off.

"Oh, I know; which is why I am free to admire without any strings attached."

Kratos examined the Derris Emblem in his hands, "Speaking of ancient writings…Mithos," He tossed the Emblem over to him.

"Wha-oh!" Mithos fumbled with it in the air but did not drop it.

"Don't those letters look familiar? Have you seen them somewhere other than on the Emblem?"

Mithos held it up to his face, "Kinda…but not enough to really even begin to place it." He looked at it more closely, "No wait! I think some of these symbols do look sorta familiar."

Ratatosk snatched it from his hand.

"Hey!"

"Shut it, half-pint. Some of these letters are shaped similar to the demonic language." Ratatosk slowly turned it, "But they're not quite."

"Shouldn't you know all about it considering-"

"Again, shut it, half-pint. I didn't carve the damn thing." Ratatosk said, not tearing his gaze away to look towards Mithos when he addressed him, "And like I'd pay attention to the exact workings of how it preformed the trap spell; all I cared about was if it did its job. Plus, it's not as though I could _test_ it or anything."

"Yes, at first I thought it was demonic language too." Richter said and Ratatosk looked away from the Emblem to turn his attention to him. "But upon closer inspection, it proved more similar to angelic language, which led me to the conclusion it was very old elfish—Pre-Kharlan War even—as elfish is supposed to have been derived from angelic, but I assume it is the other way around."

"Indeed, the angelic language does use some very old elfish—though not Pre-Kharlan War, I can tell you that—as well as quite a few other languages. Yuan would know the specifics, I may have made the belief system, but he created the language."

Mithos snickered, "Though you could say Yuan's angelic _is_ demonic."

"What do you mean?" Marta asked.

Kratos sighed as Mithos burst out laughing, "Yuan had a way with words, just not with writing them. His handwriting was atrocious. One time he told us that he had 'managed' to obtain a list of some 'codes' that he had 'intercepted' from 'Renegade communication lines'; he assured us they had been personally handwritten by the leader himself—he hadn't been lying about the last part unfortunately." Kratos sounded a bit disgruntled by the ordeal, "He told me later it had been a mixture of elfish, dwarfish, angelic, and human letters all written in _shorthand_. As if his writing wasn't illegible enough."

"You know those were just a bunch of dirty words, right old man?" Zelos pointed out.

"I figured as much."

"Yeah, that was the only time I _ever_ saw him struggle to keep a deadpan."

Kratos blinked, "When was that exactly?"

Zelos smirked, "You think he was crude enough to come up with those words on his own? Nah, he needed someone absolutely _nothing_ like him to think up some random words so the chance of him being found out was as low as possible."

Lloyd grinned, "And the first things out of your mouth were all absurdly vulgar, cataclysmically bawdy, and obscenely obscene, weren't they?"

"Pure debauchery, bud, pure debauchery."

Raine had her head in her hand, "Of course when he learns higher vocabulary it would words like _that_!"

"He hangs around Zelos all the time, Sis, what do expect? I bet Zelos gets called those things all the time."

"If he kept his hands to himself it probably wouldn't be a problem."

Zelos turned to smirk at Raine, "Trust me, your highness, if I didn't keep my hands to myself you would _definitely_ know." He began to turn back around, "Not that it matters," he rested his head back down, "I can outrun the old man any day, right bud?"

Lloyd laughed, "You plan on testing that?"

"Maybe," Zelos said with a dramatically fake flirtatious tone, "Would you like me to?"

"You know," Genis began, "if Kratos already wants to castrate you, what do think his reaction will be when he sees you pawing all over Lloyd?"

"…Damn, you have one nasty mean streak in you, brat, you really do."

Genis smirked, "I try my best."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Brat."

* * *

><p>No notes this time.<p> 


	6. Unfortunate Reencounter

"Well, well, what have we _here_?"

Ratatosk swore loudly and vehemently with no regard for even the level of social conduct he normally bothered to display. And he wasn't the only one.

Zelos may have shared some of his more advanced vocabulary with Lloyd but both fell back onto their earlier educations because there was nothing like good old fashioned expletives to get your point across.

Kratos cursed under his breath only once in a no doubt long dead language, however it must have been an especially strong word given Richter's expression.

Zelos had now extended his left arm still resting on Lloyd's shoulder and had closed his eyes, murmuring softly under his breath as his arm moved fluidly in a small pattern, as if to weave magic like a thread he had drawn from the air into a grand but invisible tapestry—or something more or less to that effect.

Lloyd lightly swatted Zelos's arm down, "You'll hit more than him."

"Aren't we clever?" Zelos said somewhat moodily at the denial of the chance to char his intended target.

"That line's not you."

"Whatever," Zelos said on the edge of pouting as he wrapped his arm back around Lloyd, secretly agreeing that it did seem to lack a certain finesse to it, "Lightning's totally my best element and I was only going to use the single-target-strike one."

"My dear Alice, I must say, this is _quite_ the reunion."

They all turned to see Decus smirking languidly as he casually leaned against his broadsword from where he stood next to his companion.

Alice giggled, "It is certainly is; there's one, two, ten people here? Unusually large welcoming party for someone like him, inordinately non-violent as well, wouldn't you agree, my darling Decus?"

"Indeed, I'd expect a few more craters, but I suppose they must have gotten stronger material to rebuild everything, the roads included apparently." Decus replied, "The people of Aselia sure bounce back fast; Meltokio and those dreadful earthquakes, Luin and the nasty Asgard Ranch raid, Palmacosta and that mess with the Great Kharlan Tree, plus the Blood Purge."

Alice giggled, "Not to mention those other little incidents that happened recently; can't forget those, Darling-Decus."

"Ah, of course, the recent incidents. Tell me," Decus turned to address the others present, "other than the Heimdall thing—it gets kinda complicated when it comes to if they are people of Aselia or not, the Yggy Tree says so apparently, but it hasn't had time to grow old and wise or three feet tall—did we miss anything?"

It took a moment for the group to recover from the 'Darling-Decus' revelation; however, when they did it was unclear if it was Lloyd or Kratos who drew their swords faster than the other, but Zelos had unsheathed his blade before either of them after having released Lloyd and executing a complete 180° turn to face the new arrivals.

Zelos also seemed unsure who to point his shortsword at first—not that it mattered too greatly to him—so instead took up a stance that was both offensive and defensive.

Decus's hand subtly shifted to grip the handle of his broadsword better, but otherwise showed no reaction. "No need to be so aggressive; I know you got a lot reasons to hate us, but we're not here to battle you."

"It sure as hell _sounds_ like you're picking a fight."

"Touchy, aren't you? Me and Darling-Decus were only stocking up on items, we were about to leave town."

If anything, this only put Zelos on edge more. "_Where_ exactly?" he demanded, his hand tightening on his sword.

"Oh dear…" Decus said without any true sincerity.

"If this is about your sister, don't worry, I was only mean to Seles," Marta narrowed her eyes, "because she was feeble and relied on others for everything. A motive Martmart can attest as to me having. Now that she's a big girl who can actually fight for herself, I have no reason to mean her any harm. So, if you would all be so kind as to put away your weapons, I'd be much obliged."

Zelos glared for a few more moments before lowering his blade but not sheathing it like Kratos and Lloyd had—Kratos having figured Zelos wouldn't have accepted any help and Zelos was standing directly in front of Lloyd anyway.

Alice sighed theatrically, "Well, I suppose it's better than nothing."

"How did you know about my sister traveling?"

"Among other things." Kratos amended.

Decus's smirk widened and Alice giggled, "Why don't you ask Martmart or Richter? _They_ could tell you."

"Decus was the leader of the espionage division of the Vanguard." Richter stated, rubbing the left side of his forehead as he is now likened to do during times of stress—a habit he acquired approximately halfway through the sentence spoken by Decus to alert the group to his and Alice's presences. So far he's managed to avoid allowing a certain gem to be visible to the general public but if he wanted it to stay that way he'll have to alter his hairstyle a little in the near future.

And dispose of that damnable hair-flipping habit of his.

"So what _are_ you all doing here?" Decus asked, looking between them as he leaned casually against his broadsword once more now that Zelos did not pose any immediate danger.

"There are numerous reasons," Mithos said, "none of which concern you."

Alice turned towards him then looked at him in thought, "You," she said suddenly, pointing her riding crop at him, "you're cute; and a half-elf. You're Mithos Yggdrasill, aren't you?"

Mithos looked taken aback, "How did you…?"

Alice narrowed her eyes at him, "But you don't have the right aura, at least not the one you _should_ have." She returned to tapping the riding crop against the palm of her hand, waiting for an answer.

"Yes, I was wondering the same thing." Decus agreed.

"How?" Genis asked with a slight bit of hostility, "Alice I can understand, but you're a _human_."

Decus laughed, "No need to get so worked up, small-stuff, I'm fairly confident someone of his fabled…eminence would possess a certain _presence_ to him he just does not have. I'm sure the old man noticed it too."

Kratos only scowled in return.

Decus continued now addressing Mithos, "I've no doubt you were far more intimidating back when you were…taller, and much less benign—far worse than we were. Though you are not the evil overlord you were before," Decus smirked, "I don't believe you can make any sort of _judgment_ against us; or on whether whatever you're doing concerns us or not."

The tolling of City Hall's newly finished bell that had accompanied the large clock face that had also been added to the structure upon the building's reconstruction filled the air, signaled the changing of the hour.

Alice glanced up at the clock tower, time still readable despite the notable distance it was away, "Oh dear me, look at the time! I suppose telling us what you were doing will have to wait; me and Darling-Decus simply _must_ be going."

Decus smirked and mockingly wiggled his fingers in farewell at the group as he and Alice walked past them, "Toodles."

He received several scowls in return.

* * *

><p><span>Notes<span>:

Okay, there are a lot of these.

When Richter made it outta there he, of course, still has that pretty gem on his forehead—that is what's being used to guard the Gate, you know, like the whole consuming mana thing is done by the gem and is then sent to the Gate's seal through some mystic connection between the gem and the Gate.

This will come in later, but Richter helped to redeem himself to varying but still significant extents in most of the groups' opinions (most of all, Zelos's) by greatly contributing to finally finding a way to improve Seles's health ('cause you know the first thing Zelly's gonna do once peace is restored is utilize his fortune to sponsor that kinda thing). Richter is a researcher after all, as previously seen.

Because of the above Seles can now better her magic and sword training and now has a desire to see the world as she's been cooped-up in that Abbey most of her life. Zelos has _no_ desire for her to do so all on her own, plus it can get lonely traveling solo, and asks that there be at least one person with her at some point in time that he knows won't get them both killed, like Sheena or Presea and I'm sure Colette would be more than happy to show her everything.

And because I didn't get a chance to explain it later, the reason Marta narrowed her eyes at Alice when Alice said Seles's name was because Alice had not called Seles by a nickname like she does Marta and other girls she hates.

While it still takes more for Genis to trust a human than a half-elf, he doesn't really _hate_ all humans _right_ off the bat and upon sight, however, he _does_ hate Decus, thus the emphasis on his race.

There was going to be more to the Alice and Decus interaction, however, it just didn't work out and it would be cruel to leave you all hanging for something not to come.


End file.
